Wire-stringing apparatus.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1903.

,B. E. SALISBURY. WIRE STRINGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1902.

10 MODEL. v

m: NORR ls PETERS co Moro-Lima. wAsmwwM u c Ne. reeves.

UNITED STATES iatented May 19, 1903;

Enron,

ATENT EDGAR E. SALISBURY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N0. 728,768, dated May 19, 1903. Application filed September 18, 1902. Serial lie. 123,914- iNo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. SALISBURY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Stringing Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire -stringing apparatus, and refers more specifically to an improved traveling device capable of being made to traverse a strung wire from the operator away toadistant point without the necessity of a connection with said distant point.

The salient object of the invention is to provide a simple practical device of the character referred to by means of which an operator may send the traveler and anything connected therewith from point to point without the assistance of a fellow-workman and without himself proceeding to the points to which the device is sent.

To this end the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed outin the appended claims, and the invention will be more readily understood from the following description by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, and in which Figurel is an elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown applied to a telegraph or telephone wire and with the actuating-cable in position. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a whole a suitable frame, which in the present instance is of yoke shape, comprising two arms 2 and 3, arranged in upwardly divergent relation, and a lower connecting member 4:, uniting said arms rigidly with each other. Upon the upper end of each arm is mounted a journal-stud 5, upon which studs are respectively journaled pulley-shaped wheels, as 6 and 7, said wheels being provided with peripheral grooves 8, adapted to receive an actuating cord or cable 9. Each wheel is of two-part construction, being provided at one side-with a concentric and rigidly-connected smaller grooved pulley or wheel, as 10 and 11, which latter wheels are provided within their grooves with tooth-like ribs 12, adapted to bite into and frictionally engage a wire or cable engaging said grooves. In the present instance the smaller members 10 and 11 of the wheels are interposed between the larger member and the respective frame-arms, so that the wire (designated as) is confined or guided between the larger pulley member on the one side and the arm on the other, and is thus held reliably against slipping out of the groove of the pulley.

In order to insure a strong frictional engagement between the tooth-wheels and the wire over which they travel, a clamping member is provided, comprising a sliding arm or support 13, connected with the lower part of the main frame by means of a slot and setscrew connection, as indicated at 14 and 15, and working through suitable guides l6,which insures the retention of the supporting-arm in upright position. Upon the upper end of the adjustable arm 13 is mounted a third pulley-wheel 17, of two-part construction and made substantially like the wheels 6 and 7, hereinbefore referred to. The lower end of the arm 13 is conveniently provided with a horizontal outturned finger-piece 18, and a similar finger-piece 18 is formed to extend horizontally out over the upper edge of the lower member 4 of the main frame in vertical register with the finger-piece 18 and extending in the same direction, so that the operator may forcibly move the adjustable arm upwardly when the set-screw 15 is released, it being understood that in use the supporting-wire m passes over the smaller member of the pulley 17 and under the similar members of the two outer pulleys 6 and 7.

' 19 and 20 designate two guiding-pulleys, which are mounted upon the respective framearms 2 and 3 at points below the pulleys 6 and 7, and 21 and 22 respectively designate platesprings mounted upon the respective framearms and arranged to bear yieldingly at their free ends against the respective guide-pulleys 19 and 20.

At a suitable point upon the main frame is desirably mounted a hook, as indicated at 23, which may be used as a convenient means of attaching a wire or cable which is to be strung to the device.

24 designates an operating cable or cord, by means of which the device is caused to traverse the supporting-wire 0c. The operating-cable is arranged to pass upwardly around the pulley 19 and between the latter and the spring 21, thence around the larger member of the pulley 6 in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the hands of a clock, and from this wheel up over the clamping-wheel 17, thence around the right-hand wheel 7 in the same direction that it encircles the left-hand wheel, thence down around the guide-pulley 20, between the latter and the spring 22, and thence back to the left, in which direction, it is to be understood, the operator is located.

The operation of the device is obvious, but may be briefly described. Assuming that it is desired to carry one end of a wire or cable from one point to another, between which points the suspension-wirem is stretched, the operator attaches the wire to be strung to the book 23 and pulls upon the upper lap of the cable 24, thus causing the wheels 6 and 7 to rotate in the direction of movement of the hands of a clock and the intervening clamping-wheel 17 to rotate in the opposite direction. The tension of the traction-wheels upon the wire insures such frictional engagement therewith that the device is caused to travel along the wire toward the right hand, or away from the operator, notwithstanding the pull exerted upon the said strand of the actuating-cable tends to draw the device in the opposite direction. Theoperatorthereforesimply continues to draw on the upper strand of the actuating cable until the device has reached the desired point, and, if it be desired, he can of course return the device by simply pulling upon the lower strand, thus causing the traction-wheels to rotate in the reverse direction. It will be seen that the arrange ment of the guide-pulleys 19 and 20 and the confining-springs thereof is such that the actuating-cable is reliably confined in position wheneither of the hands thereof is pulled. In adjusting the device to .the' supportingwire a: it will be understood that the set-screw is first loosened and the clamping-wheel 17' until the supporting-wire is deflected enough to create a reliable frictional engagement therewith of the several traction wheels, whereupon the set-screw is tightened with the arm in this position.

While I have herein shown and described what I deem to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, yet the construction thereof may be modified without departing from the invention, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the details of construction, except to such extent as the same are made the subject of specific claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. In-combination with a suitable frame, a frictionally-engaging traction-wheel, clamping-travelers arranged to hold said tractionwheel in bearin g with a stretched wire or cable, a differential pulley-drive arranged to act on said traction-wheel with increased leverage and a paying-outact uating-cable operatively engaging said pulley-drive and whereby said traveling device may be driven along the wire or cable away from, or toward the operator.

2. In combination with a suitable frame, a pair of traction-wheels mounted upon said frame and provided with grooved peripheries whereby they are adapted to support said frame from a stretched wire or the like, actuating cable -pulleys operatively connected withsaid traction-wheels, and an actuatingcable trained around said pulleys.

3. In combination with a suitable frame, a pair of traction-wheels mounted upon said frame and provided with grooved and roughened peripheries adapted for engagement with a stretched wire or the like, a pair of actuating cable-pulleys operatively connected with said traction-wheels, means for holding the traction-wheels in clamping tension with the supporting-wire, and an actuating-cable trained around said pulleys.

4. In combination with a suitable frame, a pair of traction-wheels mounted upon the frame at an interval apart, each provided with a grooved periphery, interiorly-roughened frictionally-engaged supporting-wire or the like, and cable-pulleys operatively connected with said traction-wheels, an actuating-cable trained around said pulleys, and a tensioning-wheel mounted upon the frame and arranged to engage the supporting-wire at a point between the engagement therewith of the traction-wheels and at the opposite side of the supporting-wire from the latter.

5. In combination with a suitable frame, a pair of traction-wheels mounted upon the frame at a distance apart, each provided'with a grooved periphery interiorly roughened, a cable-pulley mounted alongside of and concentric with each traction-wheel and of larger diameter than the latter, atension-wheel adjustably mounted to engage a supporting wire at a point between the traction-wheels, and an actuating-cable trained around said cable-pulleys.

6. In combination with a suitableframe, a pair of traction-wheels journaled upon the frame, each provided with a grooved and interiorly-roughened periphery, a third traction-wheel adjustably mounted to move toward and from a line extending directly between and tangentially to said first pair of traction-wheels; a cable-pulley mounted concentric with, and alongside of, each traction-wheel and operatively connected with the latter, an actuating-cable trained around said several pulleys, and means for securing said adjustable traction-wheel in adjusted position.

7. In combination with a suitable frame, a pair of traction-wheels journaled upon the frame, each provided with a grooved and interiorly-roughened periphery, a third traction-wheel adj ustably mounted to move toward and from a line extending directly between and tangentially to said first pair of lug-traveler cooperating with said tractiontraction-wheels; a cable-pulley mounted concentric with, and alongside of, each tractionwheel and operatively connected with the latter, an actuating-cable trained around said several pulleys, guide-pulleys arranged to direct the cable to and from said cablepulleys, and springs arranged to hold said cable yieldingly against the guide-pulleys,

in substantially as described.

8. In combination with a suitable frame, a frictionally-en gagin g traction-wheel,a clampwheel to hold the latter in traction-bearing with a wire or cable, a drive-Wheel operatively connected with said traction-Wheel,and a paying-out cable arranged to actuate said drive-Wheel whereby said traveling device may be driven along the wire or cable away from, or toward the operator.

EDGAR E. SALISBURY.

Witnesses:

A. H. GRAVES, A. M. CRONA. 

